Impressions©

ImPRESSions© The Official Newsletter Of The American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association Dec 2012 Vol. 45 No. 9 2012 AARWBA ALL-AMERICA TEAM Compiled by Patrick Reynolds, Chair All America Team The American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association has announced its annual All America Team, which the group has done every year since the conclusion of the 1970 season. A team of special drivers representing multiple forms of professional motorsports is elected each year by AARWBA. The association's members vote on drivers within their participating categories of racing and the top two from each discipline are elected to the first team. This is the 2012 All-America team: In the Open Wheel Division, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Will Power were the leading choices. Driving for Andretti Autosport, Hunter-Reay claimed his first IZOD Indy Car Series Champion this year, and Verizon Team Penske's Will Power sat on five pole positions and won three races in the series on his way to second place in 2012 points for the third consecutive season. Two-person teams were the selections for Road Racing: Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas who drove their Telmex BMW-Riley for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, and Klaus Graf/Lucas Luhr who drove for Muscle Milk Pickett Racing. Pruett and Rojas are the 2012 Grand-Am Champs, giving owner Chip Ganassi his third straight and sixth overall Prototype title since 2004. Graf and Luhr were the ALMS 2012 LMP1 driver champions scoring six wins this season. American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (www.aarwba.org) “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage Of Motor Sports” AARWBA 2012 All-America Team A USAC Sprint Car Championship and seven fea- One other tradition that AARWBA has followed is to elect ture victories earned Bryan Clauson a slot on the a Second Team to be honored along with the above All- All America Team's Short Track division. Clauson America winners. Here are the categories and names of also started the Indianapolis 500 as the 2011 that illustrious group of drivers: USAC National Champion. Donny Schatz is the other Short Track Division representative on the Open Wheel: Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon/Helio strength of his fifth World of Outlaws Sprint Car ti- Castroneves (tie) tle. In 2012 Schatz claimed 11 A-Main victories, 39 top-five, and 60 top-ten finishes. Road Racing: Chris Dyson/Guy Smith (team) and Ryan Dalziel Brad Keselowski led the All American First Team voting in the Stock Car category as well as all divi- Short Track: Bobby East and Darrell Lanigan sions across the ballot. The 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion earned the most votes of Stock Car: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Clint Bowyer any driver during the voting process. Jimmie Johnson fills out the other position with a third- Drag Racing: Tony Schumacher and Ron Capps place Sprint Cup standings finish, five points-pay- ing wins, and the All Star Race win. Touring Series: Ricky Johnson and Oliver Gavin/Tommy Milner (team) Antron Brown and Jack Beckman are the Drag Racing Category representatives. Brown piloted At Large: Frank Manzo and Jimmy Owens Don Schumacher Racing's Matco Tools Dragster to six wins in 11 Final Round appearances and The country's top forms of professional motorsports are earned his first NHRA Top Fuel crown. Beckman represented in this championship group voted on by made it a sweep for DSR as he won the NHRA AARWBA as the 2012 All America Team. Funny Car title with three Final Round triumphs. Founded in 1955 AARWBA is a motorsports organization In the Touring Series, James Buescher is recog- comprised of writers, broadcasters, photographers, and nized for his NASCAR Camping World Truck Se- other media-related professionals. The organization's ries Championship. Driving for Turner Motorsports, charter is aimed at providing not only proper recognition Buescher visited Victory Lane four times in the se- for members of the motorsports media, but to recognize ries following his dramatic last-lap win in the Day- their work as well as the work of the competitors that tona NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The driving they follow in print, on the air, and on film. duo of Emil Assentato and Jeff Segal won the 2012 Rolex Grand Am Series /GT Class in the AIM Autosport Team FXDD with Ferrari. They claimed wins in Miami, New Jersey, and Road America. Johnny O'Connell and Tristan Vautier were the At Large category's top vote earners. O'Connell chauffeured Cadillac Racing's machine to a win in St. Petersburg and two wins in Detroit on his way to the Pirelli World Challenge GT Championship. San Schmidt Motorsports enjoyed the 2012 Indy Lights crown with Vautier leading them to four wins, five poles, and leading over half of the laps con- tested during the entire series. NHRA Funny Car driver Courtney Force was voted the Rising Star award after finishing fifth in the Championship Countdown. She also won the NHRA's Road to the Future Award with four final- round appearances, two number-one qualifying awards, and a win in the Northwest Nationals. All Contents©The AmericanAuto Racing WritersBroadcasters & Association 922 North Pass Avenue Burbank, CA 91505-2703 (818) 842-7005 American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (www.aarwba.org) “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage Of Motor Sports” 2 California Gold By Bob Gates A new book, California Gold, The Legendary Life of Troy Ruttman, au- thored by AARWBA member, Bob Gates, has just been released and is receiving great reviews. Ruttman is considered by many, including his peers, like Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Rodger Ward, Bobby Unser and Jim Rathmann, as the most naturally talented driver this country has ever produced. Ruttman rose to the height of celebrity and accomplishment, winning two CRA Roadster Championships, a URA Midget Championship, the AAA National Sprint Car championship, and the Indianapolis 500 by the time he was 22 years old. Shortly after his Indianapolis victory, Ruttman injured his arm in a freak sprint car accident, that cost him nearly two years of his career, and put him on a downward spiral of personal hardships, fueled by alcoholism, that cost him his family, and fortune. He pulled himself out of that tailspin, but in what became a pattern in his life, he would routinely land in the pit of despair, only to claw himself back to the top, as he dealt with the loss of his 18 year old son in a racing accident, saw multiple mar- riages dissolved, and fortunes loss. Yet his battles back are what makes his story inspiring, and fascinating. Gates chronicles it all with the help of Troy's family, including his first wife, and his daughter, and racing legends like Bobby Unser, Dan Gurney, and Parnelli Jones, who considered him not only a hero but a personal friend. The book retails for $40, and the 240 pages, and more than 200 photos, are printed on gloss, high quality paper. It is available through the publisher, Pitstop books at www.pitstopbooks.com Cos- tal 181, www.costal181.com, and various auto racing museums and book stores, including at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A few comments: Bob: "A nice job on the Ruttman book. As they say, once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. I appreciate the fact you were so thorough de- spite the fact you didn't get a chance to interview him. Most bios have "holes" in them. It looks like you left little out." - Gary London, National Speed Sport News Dear Bob, “Thank you very much for sending me the Troy Ruttman book. I look forward to reading it slowly and carefully to savor all the contents from a time that is gone, and a Hero driver the fans idolized.... I was one of his biggest fans.” All the best, Dan Gurney "I want to give a shout of congratulations to my pal Bob Gates for his new book "California Gold." It's a very enjoyable read on the life of the great Troy Ruttman. I met Troy a few times early in my career and he was indeed a fascinating man who lived an extraordinary life.” - Dave Argabright, Auto Racing Journalist For those interested in getting a copy of my father’s book, they can email me : [email protected]. The price which includes shipping is $46.00. Thank you so much for your support. Toddy Ruttman Kloos All Contents©The AmericanAuto Racing WritersBroadcasters & Association 922 North Pass Avenue Burbank, CA 91505-2703 (818) 842-7005 American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (www.aarwba.org) “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage Of Motor Sports” 3 News & Notes AARWBA Member Takes Montagu Doug Stokes Now At Trophy For The Second Time Irwindale Event Center Doug Stokes recently sent Dusty this note: AARWBA member, Ian Wagstaff has won the Mer- cedes-Benz award for the Montagu of Beaulieu Trophy for the second time. At the Guild of Motor- A quick note to all of my friends and colleagues at ing Writers’ Annual Dinner in the RAC, Pall Mall, AARWBA: London last week, Ian was presented with this prestigious prize for his biography of former Grand As many of you have heard by now, I've just Prix mechanic, Tony Robinson. Tony was one of signed-on to be a part of the new the foremost racing mechanics of the 1950s and administrative/operations team at Irwindale Speed- 1960s. He worked for Stirling Moss – who de- way (new overall name: Irwindale Event Center). scribed him as “an important contribution to my racing successes” - and eventually designed the BRP We're going to need a lot of good will and support to cars for Formula One and the Indianapolis 500.

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